In the absence of words
by dreamland4
Summary: It's the little things that matter. A story of short moments. I hope you like it. I own nothing of Merlin but my love.


**Comments: This is a story with little stories in it...I hope you like it. It is un beta'd and kind of rushed... sorry you know what my mind is like all over the place. So I apologise for any mistakes. Please review if you can.**

Sometime in the absence of words, it's the little thing that we cling to, to give us hope.

**A Winters tale**

Gwen wrapped her cloak tighter to her chest, the bitter wind stinging her face as she made the long walk home. She couldn't feel her feet anymore, infact she couldn't feel anything anymore...she shivered once more dreading going home to an empty and cold house. When her father was alive she would return to a blazing fire and a warm stew...but on one wage, such luxuries were a rarity.

Her body ached and her hands shook as she opened her wooden door...as Gwen entered, her home was not in darkness but her fire was lit and the room was warm. By the fire stacked high was enough wood to see her through winter. Gwen looked around in anticipation, there was only one man with the power to make such a generous gift _'Arthur'_ she whispered, but he was nowhere to be seen and no note left to confirm this kind gesture.

The sentiment touched her deeply as she warmed her hands by the fire...he had not only warmed her house, but also her heart. Gwen looked at the wood stacked before her, she would make sure she shared such a generous gift with the villagers...after all, one log would keep her warm until sleep claimed her and then layers of clothes would keep her going through the night.

**A Stranger in the Mist**

Gwen shivered as she started to walk the lonely cobbled street back home...three girls had gone missing, the culprit still unknown. Uther had been informed of course, but as usual his value for lower class life remained limited...to make matters worse the missing girls had been from a more questionable background, so he refused to offer assistance. Arthur had protested, but of course his pleas fell on deaf ears. Gwen felt uneasy as she made the journey home, there were too many spots without light, too many feelings of eyes upon her for her to feel safe.

Amongst her footsteps she could hear the heavier ones of someone else's...Gwen stopped for a second and so did the others, she was not alone. Her heart felt constricted, her hands now clammy and clenched into fists. She turned quickly but nobody was there, she knew enough... that as she stood in a small patch of light which emanated from the local ale house, her follower would not wish to pay such attention to himself.

Gwen thought of whether to go into the ale house, to ask a kind gentlemen to escort her home or whether she should run for it...her house but mere minutes away. Her head turned from the sound of laughter and drinking to the barely lit path towards the safety of her home...and she ran, but not alone as the sound of her assailant also keeping the pace behind her rang in her ears.

The outline of her cottage came into view and she used her last bit of energy to push forward...finally she opened the door and locked it behind her. Gwen leaned against the wall breathing heavily...she needed to check if he was there, so she carefully looked out of her a gap in her wall. Outside in the flickering of light she could see a figure, a tall man and then he moved and for a brief second the light showed his hair...gold like the sun and then he was gone.

"Arthur" Gwen croaked, her heavy breathing making it hard to speak properly...she leaned back against the wall her chest heaving the adrenalin now leaving her. Of course... Arthur had been following her, to ensure her safety. "My knight in shining armour" Gwen smiled, maybe she would be able to sleep tonight, knowing that Arthur was near.

**Birthday's**

The day of Gwen's birth had not been something to celebrate this year, for a start who would even care that she was one more year older? She didn't have her father or Morgana to notice the new line that had formed on her face...today was just like any other day and only her body knew the difference.

Gwen thought about what she should do for dinner tonight, in her pantry she had one carrot...an apple and a potato not exactly a gourmet meal she thought as she opened the door to her house.

"Merlin" Gwen gasped, her table was littered with food and Merlin stood there a grin on his face.

"Happy Birthday Gwen" he pulled her into a hug.

"But...how...why?" Gwen pulled back to notice a bashful look on Merlin's face.

He pulled away and scratched his head nervously "I didn't remember"

Gwen looked around at the feast before them and Merlin "Arthur did...and" Merlin smiled cheekily "He wished he could be here but..." he couldn't finish the sentence, he didn't need too, they both knew that Arthur could not be present at such frivolities.

Merlin immediately noticed the look of disappointment on her face, which as usual she quickly replaced with a smile "Thank you Merlin"

Merlin had to admit, he had been surprised at Arthur remembering her birthday, let alone the instructions he had given him, which included giving him the afternoon off to arrange her surprise. 'Make sure that Gwen has a perfect birthday...whatever you need. Oh and Merlin find her a gift from me and don't make it too' Arthur gestured wildly 'Cheap...I want her to know it is from me...not picked by a bumbling idiot that knows _nothing of women'_ Merlin smirked as he remembered their conversation.

"Gauis will be along shortly...but before he comes I have something from a..._secret admirer_" a slight blush formed on Gwen's cheeks.

He handed Gwen a package wrapped in old cloth...she looked at him a mixture of surprise and excitement. Arthur had given her a gift...she didn't know what to say.

"Open it then" Merlin nudged her, he had spent a long time picking it and wanted to see if she had liked it...and it was definitely _not cheap_. Merlin smiled at how easily Arthur had handed over the gold.

Gwen carefully unwrapped the cloth and gasped as her rough hands felt over the beautiful soft peach material. She lifted up the dress, its long flowing sleeves...the bodice embroidered with such beautiful flowers. "It's..." words failed her, she had not felt such luxurious fabric...well not since she had last handled one of Morgana's dresses.

Merlin beamed, remembering each detail of her reaction to tell Arthur later.

Gwen grabbed Merlin into another bone crushing hug the dress pressed between them "It is perfect...how did he?" Gwen chuckled "Thank you Merlin"

**The dress**

Gwen admired the dress in the mirror, it was beautiful, but a little tight, mainly around the chest area...bless Merlin for presuming she was a size smaller than she actually was. But what did Gwen care for minor details, she was wearing a gift from Arthur and tonight was another feast and she wanted to look the part. Gwen turned around admiring all the different views...the dress was not so luxurious in look to make her feel, as a servant, out of place...but from the way it hung and felt the wearer would know it was not just a normal dress.

...

Arthur nearly choked on his wine as Guinevere glided into the room, she looked beautiful...but the dress "Merlin" Arthur pulled gestured for him to come forward.

"My lord" Merlin felt Arthurs arm pulling his head nearer his ear.

"Idiot, isn't it a little small?" his words seemed to be spat into his ear and Merlin looked to figure out what his problem was. As he looked up, he was just in time to see Gwen leaning over to pour Sir Leon some wine and his eyes went wide...the dress left nothing to the imagination and Sir Perciville who happened to be opposite Leon dropped the chicken he had in his hand at the sudden change in view.

"I think it's perfect" Arthur looked at his field of vision and hit Merlin hard around the back of the head.

"IDIOT" he hit him again. Gwen looked towards Arthur and he immediately smiled. Tomorrow Merlin's task would be to replace that dress with a larger one without Guinevere knowing about it.

**The kiss**

Gwen raised the cloth to Arthur's bloody wound. He had a gash to his head, caused in training.

"You really must be more careful in training" Gwen tutted as she cleaned the cloth again and raised it to his head.

Arthur looked to Merlin, the look which told him to leave and Gauis followed leaving them on their own...not that Gwen would notice, she was too busy trying to focus on the task at hand.

Arthur couldn't concentrate on anything else but her lips that seamed so close he could reach out and kiss them "Guinevere"

She stopped dabbing his wound and looked to him waiting for a lecture on how training was meant to be dangerous...but it didn't come. Instead she gasped as his hand went around her neck and pulled her into his lips...hmmm those lips. Gwen melted into his embrace, reason leaving her as to why they should not be kissing in Gauis chambers...who cared about anything when he tasted so divine.

Arthur groaned as Guinevere's hands travelled through his hair. The sound of foodsteps caused Arthur to pull away and Gwen stood there mouth open.

"Arthur...are you alright?" the cold breeze of Uther storming in dampened the fire that had previously warmed the room and Gwen walked away.

"I am fine father" Arthur said as he watched the retreating form of Guinevere and he could not help but sigh. His father was like a dark cloud on a summers day...one day he would be able to bask in the sun, without fear of that damn cloud!

**The end**


End file.
